گرچه پله‌ی چشم بر هم می‌زنی ** در سفینه خفته‌ای ره می‌کنی
Albeit thou art closing thine eyelids, thou art asleep in the ship and voyaging (in safety).
تفسیر این حدیث کی مثل امتی کمثل سفینة نوح من تمسک بها نجا و من تخلف عنها غرق
Exposition of the Hadíth, "The parable of my community is the parable of the Ship (Ark) of Noah: whoso shall cleave to it is saved, and whoso shall hold back from it is drowned."
بهر این فرمود پیغامبر که من ** هم‌چو کشتی‌ام به طوفان زمن
On this account the Prophet said, “I am as the Ship (Ark) in the Flood of Time.
ما و اصحابم چو آن کشتی نوح ** هر که دست اندر زند یابد فتوح
I and my Companions are as the Ship of Noah: whoso clings (to us) will gain (spiritual) graces.”
چونک با شیخی تو دور از زشتیی ** روز و شب سیاری و در کشتیی540
When you are with the Shaykh you are far removed from wickedness: day and night you are a traveller and in a ship.
در پناه جان جان‌بخشی توی ** کشتی اندر خفته‌ای ره می‌روی
You are under the protection of a life-giving spirit: you are asleep in the ship, you are going on the way.
مسکل از پیغامبر ایام خویش ** تکیه کم کن بر فن و بر کام خویش
Do not break with the prophet of your days: do not rely on your own skill and footsteps.
گرچه شیری چون روی ره بی‌دلیل ** خویش‌بین و در ضلالی و ذلیل
Lion though you are, you are self-conceited and in error and contemptible when you go on the way without a guide.
هین مپر الا که با پرهای شیخ ** تا ببینی عون و لشکرهای شیخ
Beware! Do not fly but with the wings of the Shaykh, that you may see (receive) the aid of the armies of the Shaykh.
یک زمانی موج لطفش بال تست ** آتش قهرش دمی حمال تست545
At one time the wave of his mercy is your pinion, at another moment the fire of his wrath is your carrier.
قهر او را ضد لطفش کم شمر ** اتحاد هر دو بین اندر اثر
Do not reckon his wrath to be the contrary of his mercy: behold the oneness of both (these qualities) in the effect.
یک زمان چون خاک سبزت می‌کند ** یک زمان پر باد و گبزت می‌کند
At one time he will make you green like the earth, at another time he will make you full of wind, and big.
جسم عارف را دهد وصف جماد ** تا برو روید گل و نسرین شاد
He gives the quality of inorganic things to the body of the knower (of God), in order that gay roses and eglantines may grow on it;
لیک او بیند نبیند غیر او ** جز به مغز پاک ندهد خلد بو
But he (the Shaykh) alone sees (them), none sees but he: Paradise yields no scent but to the purified brain.
مغز را خالی کن از انکار یار ** تا که ریحان یابد از گلزار یار550
Empty your brain of disbelief in the Friend, that it may feel sweet odours from the rose-garden of the Friend;
تا بیابی بوی خلد از یار من ** چون محمد بوی رحمن از یمن
So that you may feel the scent of Paradise from my Friend, as Mohammed the scent of the Merciful (God) from Yemen.
در صف معراجیان گر بیستی ** چون براقت بر کشاند نیستی
If you stand in the rank of those who make the (spiritual) ascension, not-being (self-naughtedness) will bear you aloft, like Buráq.
نه چو معراج زمینی تا قمر ** بلک چون معراج کلکی تا شکر
’Tis not like the ascension of a piece of earth (an earthly being) to the moon; nay, but like the ascension of a cane to sugar.
نه چو معراج بخاری تا سما ** بل چو معراج جنینی تا نهی
’Tis not like the ascension of a vapour to the sky; nay, but like the ascension of an embryo to rationality.
The steed of not-being (self-naughtedness) became a goodly Buráq: it brings you to (real) existence, if you are non-existent (self-naughted).
کوه و دریاها سمش مس می‌کند ** تا جهان حس را پس می‌کند
Its hoof brushes the mountains and seas till it puts the world of sense perception behind.
پا بکش در کشتی و می‌رو روان ** چون سوی معشوق جان جان روان
Set your foot into the ship and keep going quickly, like the soul going towards the soul's Beloved.
دست نه و پای نه رو تا قدم ** آن چنانک تاخت جانها از عدم
(With) no hands and no feet, go to Eternity in the same fashion as that in which the spirits sped from non-existence.
بردریدی در سخن پرده‌ی قیاس ** گر نبودی سمع سامع را نعاس
If there had not been somnolence (dullness and inattention) in the hearer's hearing, the veil of logical reasoning would have been torn asunder in the discourse.
ای فلک بر گفت او گوهر ببار ** از جهان او جهانا شرم دار560
O Heaven, shower pearls on his (the Shaykh's) rede! O World, have shame of (be abashed by) his world!
گر بباری گوهرت صد تا شود ** جامدت بیننده و گویا شود
If thou wilt shower (pearls), thy substance will become (increased in splendour) hundredfold: thy inorganic (matter) will become seeing and speaking.
پس نثاری کرده باشی بهر خود ** چونک هر سرمایه‌ی تو صد شود
Therefore thou wilt have scattered a largesse for thine own sake, inasmuch as every stock of thine will be centupled.
قصه‌ی هدیه فرستادن بلقیس از شهر سبا سوی سلیمان علیه‌السلام
Story of Bilqís' sending a gift from the city of Sabá to Solomon, on whom be peace.
هدیه‌ی بلقیس چل استر بدست ** بار آنها جمله خشت زر بدست
The gift of Bilqís was forty mules: their whole load consisted of bricks of gold.
چون به صحرای سلیمانی رسید ** فرش آن را جمله زر پخته دید
When he (the envoy) reached the open plain, belonging to Solomon, he saw that its carpet was (made) entirely of solid gold.
بر سر زر تا چهل منزل براند ** تا که زر را در نظر آبی نماند565
He rode on gold for the distance of forty stages, till gold had no more esteem in his sight.
بارها گفتند زر را وا بریم ** سوی مخزن ما چه بیگار اندریم
(Many) times they said, “Let us take the gold back to the treasury: what a (fruitless) quest are we (engaged) in!
عرصه‌ای کش خاک زر ده دهیست ** زر به هدیه بردن آنجا ابلهیست
A spacious land of which the soil is pure gold—to bring gold thither as a gift is folly.”
ای ببرده عقل هدیه تا اله ** عقل آنجا کمترست از خاک راه
O thou who hast brought intelligence to God as a gift, there intelligence is less (in value) than the dust of the road.
چون کساد هدیه آنجا شد پدید ** شرمساریشان همی واپس کشید
When the worthlessness of the gift became apparent there (in Solomon's kingdom), shamefacedness was drawing them back (towards Bilqís);
باز گفتند ار کساد و ار روا ** چیست بر ما بنده فرمانیم ما570
(But) again they said, “Whether it be worthless or valuable, what matter to us? We are slaves (bound) to (obey) the command.
گر زر و گر خاک ما را بردنیست ** امر فرمان‌ده به جا آوردنیست
Whether we have to bring gold or earth, the command of the one who gives the command is to be executed.
گر بفرمایند که واپس برید ** هم به فرمان تحفه را باز آورید
If they command you to bring it back (to Bilqís), (then) take the gift back according to the command.”
خنده‌ش آمد چون سلیمان آن بدید ** کز شما من کی طلب کردم ثرید
When Solomon beheld that (gift), he laughed, saying, “When did I seek tharíd from you?